This design uses three, 40 foot high cube shipping container modules on the top story and a single 20 foot container on the ground floor, to create 1120+ square feet 2 story house. The containers are placed parallel to each other lengthwise to form an efficient 3 bedroom bungalow elevated one story up resting on a 20 foot container on one end and two steel structural supports on the opposite end. A separate staircase module is attached to the containers on both levels to provide vertical circulation.

This gorgeous guest house made from 2 containers, innovatively accommodates the following salient features;

Entry Porch and store in the 20 footer

OPEN PLAN LIVING AREA WITH,

Lounge

Dining

Kitchen

Laundry

Common Bathroom

2 Bedrooms

Master Bedroom en-suite with walk-in closet

SHELTERMODE | TOPBOX 1120 | THE LIVING ROOM

SHELTERMODE | TOPBOX 1120 | THE LOUNGE

SHELTERMODE | TOPBOX 1120 | THE KITCHEN

SHELTERMODE | TOPBOX 1120 | THE DINING

SHELTERMODE | TOPBOX 1120 | MASTER BEDROOM

Foundation Design.

The 2o foot container sits on a 250mm reinforced concrete-raft foundation. The other 3 40 foot containers are elevated one story up resting on a 20 foot container on one end and two steel structural supports on the opposite end. You are encouraged to observe construction good practices on; concrete ratio mix, climate and concrete curing, when casting your foundation slab. For more information, you are encouraged to go through our previous presentation on The Top 5 Foundation Types used in Shipping Container Homes and Buildings to explore an alternative foundation type you can use.

SHELTERMODE | TOPBOX 1120 | CAR PORT

Structure and Modifications.

The roof and walls of shipping containers are structural and load bearing. Containers are designed to be loaded at the corners. Any intermediary loading, must be reinforced. Cutting out too much steel from the container walls for doors and windows, interferes with the structural integrity of shipping containers.

SHELTERMODE | TOPBOX 1120 | ELEGANT RED CLADDING

Our design principle as ShelterMODE Homes, we do not tamper with the roof and the floor of our shipping container modules, because restoring the cutouts can be quite expensive. The design has used optimal sized windows and doors which require no specialized modification to the walls of the shipping container. The house is covered with ShelterMODE’s signature flat seam roof to protect the containers from elements and also as a design statement that gives character and aesthetic appeal to this holiday cabin.

SHELTERMODE | TOPBOX 1120 | AMAZING

Outdoors and Exterior Design

The entire approach of the cabin is fronted by an innately designed entry porch to offer a protected entry to the guest house. In this design the original container cargo doors are removed and fitted with full height sliding glass for maximum daylighting to the living room and to seamlessly connect the cabin indoors to the outdoors. As a sustainable design statement, consider leaving the exterior of the shipping containers with its original metallic grey color and markings, to preserve its charm and history, in addition to reducing costs of painting the exterior.

SHELTERMODE | TOPBOX 1120 | CANTILEVER OUTDOOR SEATING

SHELTERMODE | TOPBOX 1120 | THE STAIRCASE SHAFT

Furniture and Interior Design.

Fitting furniture into a shipping container home can be a challenge since most standard furniture hasn’t been designed for such small spaces. This design uses custom designed sofa as a Multifunctional transforming furniture to effortlessly allow the living room to perform more than one function by transforming into a beds pace at night to accommodate more guests. For more information, you are encouraged to go through our previous presentation on the Top 10 Modern Space Saving Furniture Design Ideas for Shipping Container Homes.

SHELTERMODE | TOPBOX 1120 | MINIMALIST INTERIORS

To minimize the claustrophobic feel of living in a shipping container, the interior spaces should be given monochrome light colored finishes. Since this is a container house, consider using similar materials to finish the kitchen backsplash and the bathroom walls. This repetitive theme creates a harmonious interior making the house appear spacious. Consider using Flat-pack cabinets for the kitchen and the wardrobes to cut on cost and time.

Insulation and temperature control.

Shipping containers are made of Corten steel. Steel is a good conductor of heat, therefore; to live in a shipping container home, Insulation and temperature control is essential, without which, a container home would be like an oven in summer and freezing in winter. The climate of your location is the biggest determinant of the type of insulation or temperature control strategies to use in your shipping container house.

SHELTERMODE | TOPBOX 1120 | ELEGANT JULIET BALCONIES

If you are building in the cold climate, use an insulation material that will keep away the cold and moisture from the containers. Closed-Cell Spray foaminsulation will be a good solution. For the tropical climate, Keeping out heat from your container house is of paramount importance. A layer of earth wool insulation blanket lined with plasterboard will offer be adequate. For more information, you are encouraged to go through our previous presentation on the Top 8 Insulation and Temperature Control Strategies for Shipping Container Homes.

What do you like about our new luxury container home design? Do you have any question? Feel free to ask by posting in the comments below. For additional design details, and interior views; View a complete house tour HERE. If you have any question, feel free to ask by posting in the comments below.For more details on the house design, visit our website sheltermode.com. If you like this design you can buy blue prints of this design here. The blueprints come as a full set of drawings comprising of Plans, Elevations and Section Details. If you need further inspiration; check out our OTHER CONTAINER HOMES designs. You can check out the FLOOR PLANS of the house HERE:

CABINTAINER 1920

CABINTAINER 1920 is a 2 story, Luxury 5 Bedroom Shipping Container House Designed Using six, 40 Foot Shipping Containers to create a 1920+ square feet of habitable space. 3 pairs of 40 foot containers are used. Tow pairs of containers are placed parallel to each other set apart 1.2M and sheared horizontally to form two wings, one a public wing and the second a private wing on the ground floor level. Another pair of containers is stacked on top to form the first floor story of the building to accommodate more bedrooms and a roof top terrace. The pair of containers on the top level are placed parallel to the ones below and cantilevered on the front an back to create a covered entrance porch and a sheltered outdoor dining area at the back respectively.

What do you like about our new luxury container home design? Do you have any question? Feel free to ask by posting in the comments below. For additional design details, and interior views; View a complete house tour HERE. If you have any question, feel free to ask by posting in the comments below.For more details on the house design, visit our website sheltermode.com. If you like this design you can buy blue prints of this design here. The blueprints come as a full set of drawings comprising of Plans, Elevations and Section Details. If you need further inspiration; check out our OTHER CONTAINER HOMES designs. You can check out the FLOOR PLANS of the house HERE:

BOXTAINER 1280X is a modern container house design that uses four, 40 foot shipping containers to create a 1280+ square feet of habitable space. 2 pairs of 40 foot containers, one pair on the ground floor and another on the first floor are stacked to create a 2 storied luxurious house. The 2 pairs of containers on the top level are placed perpendicular to the ones below and cantilevered on stilts at the front creating a dynamic form resembling a cross box. If you dont like the look of the corrugated container walls, you can have your containers insulated on the outside and covered with a siding of your choice for a sleek modern look.

What do you like about our new luxury container home design? Do you have any question? Feel free to ask by posting in the comments below. For additional design details, and interior views; View a complete house tour HERE. If you have any question, feel free to ask by posting in the comments below.For more details on the house design, visit our website sheltermode.com. If you like this design you can buy blue prints of this design here. The blueprints come as a full set of drawings comprising of Plans, Elevations and Section Details. If you need further inspiration; check out our OTHER CONTAINER HOMES designs. You can check out the FLOOR PLANS of the house HERE:

In this presentation, we bring you a two story shipping container house ideal for a narrow lot designed using 4 shipping containers. Stay tuned to find out more about this modern container apartment design. This Modern Shipping Container house is designed using 4 forty foot shipping containers. This video will highlight the design brief of each typology; 3D floor plans; full colour pictures of the Exterior and Interior design with finishes options. Before the container modules are delivered on site, it’s advisable to have an appropriate foundation to accommodate your new build. Use a raised foundation level to elevate the containers away from moisture. Since this is a storied building, you are advised to consult a structural engineer on the appropriate foundation design. The salient features in this design include! Living spaces on the ground floor level and bedroom spaces upstairs.

Container House for a Narrow Lot | SHELTERMODE

Front Approach | SHELTERMODE

Entrance Lobby with Single flight Staircase | SHELTERMODE

Open Plan Living | SHELTERMODE

Open Plan Kitchen | SHELTERMODE

Dining Area | SHELTERMODE

L-Shaped Kitchen | SHELTERMODE

Upstairs Access | SHELTERMODE

Master Bedroom | SHELTERMODE

What do you like about our new luxury container home design? Do you have any question? Feel free to ask by posting in the comments below. For additional design details, and interior views; View a complete house tour HERE. If you have any question, feel free to ask by posting in the comments below.For more details on the house design, visit our website sheltermode.com. If you like this design you can buy blue prints of this design here. The blueprints come as a full set of drawings comprising of Plans, Elevations and Section Details. If you need further inspiration; check out our OTHER CONTAINER HOMES designs. You can check out the FLOOR PLANS of the house HERE:

This amazing design is a shipping container apartment block designed using 27 shipping containers to create 9 units of 2 bedrooms and three bedrooms distributed over three stories.

Design Concept

This Modern Shipping Container apartment block is formed by combining two 2 bedroom housing units designed using three 20 foot shipping containers + a three bedroom housing unit designed from three 40 foot shipping containers joined together with 2 staircase shafts to form an L-SHAPED floor plan.

Exterior view of the Apartments from the Gate | SHELTERMODE HOMES

Foundation Design

Before the container modules are delivered on site, it’s advisable to have an appropriate foundation to accommodate your new build. Use a raised foundation level to elevate the containers away from moisture. Since this is a storied building, you are advised to consult a structural engineer on the appropriate foundation design. This house is designed with a raft foundation, you can watch our previous presentation on five foundations types to use on a shipping container house.

Exterior view of the 2 bedrooms Apartments from the Gate | SHELTERMODE HOMES

Structure and Modification

This Modern Shipping Container apartment block is formed by combining two 2 bedroom housing units + a three bedroom housing unit with two staircase shafts with direct access to each unit. The 3 bedroom housing unit is designed using 3 40 foot containers placed in parallel to each other to create 960 square feet of habitable space.

Floor plan Layout | SHELTERMODE HOMES

The 2 bedroom block has three 20 foot containers placed in parallel to each other to form a compact housing unit of 480 square feet of habitable space. Proper reinforcement to take care of lateral movements and live loads should be considered during the process. The containers are stacked 3 stories high to create creating a total of 9 units on two wings. All the doors and windows are optimal in size save for the open plan living room in both units that will require additional structural reinforcements. You are advised to consult a structural engineer to execute all the structural modifications.

Exterior view of the 3 bedrooms Apartments from the Gate | SHELTERMODE HOMES

Interior Design

Adopt a minimalist interior design when furnishing your Container house. Use space saving furniture ideas like murphy beds to allow for multi functional use of the space without littering the space with too much furniture. Use Flat-pack cabinets for the wardrobes rather than custom units since they are versatile and come in a range of sizes and colours. Flat-packs will help you save on time and money.

LOUNGE | 2 Bedrooms Apartments | SHELTERMODE HOMES

LOUNGE | 2 Bedrooms Apartments | SHELTERMODE HOMES

DINING | 2 Bedrooms Apartments | SHELTERMODE HOMES

BALCONY VIEW | 2 Bedrooms Apartments | SHELTERMODE HOMES

OUTDOOR VIEW | 2 Bedrooms Apartments | SHELTERMODE HOMES

MASTER BEDROOM | 2 Bedrooms Apartments | SHELTERMODE HOMES

Insulation and temperature control

The interior of the living space is lined with an appropriate insulation material depending on the climate. Insulation is also essential to preventing condensation, which can corrode the container and cause mould. To achieve the best results in cold climate locations use closed cell spray form insulation. In tropical climate, keeping away heat from your house is the biggest challenge. Insulation blanked with pasteboard lining will do just fine. The top most containers are covered with a corrugated steel roofing to shield the habitable space from hot weather and also give design flare to the housing units.

LIVING ROOM | 3 Bedrooms Apartments | SHELTERMODE HOMES

LIVING ROOM | 3 Bedrooms Apartments | SHELTERMODE HOMES

LOUNGE | 3 Bedrooms Apartments | SHELTERMODE HOMES

DINING | 3 Bedrooms Apartments | SHELTERMODE HOMES

MASTER BEDROOM | 3 Bedrooms Apartments | SHELTERMODE HOMES

Outdoors and Exterior Design

The original cargo doors on the shipping containers in the one bedroom unit have been removed and replaced with full height sliding doors to enhance access and day-lighting. This design comes with additional timber modules to form the Juliet balcony enclosure. The original cargo doors on the 40 foot containers are used in an open position to create Private Juliet balcony to the living room on the 3 bedroom housing units. If you are using a one trip shipping containers, consider leaving the exterior as it is, with its original colour and markings to preserve its charm and history, to help on saving the cost of painting the exterior afresh.

If you have any question, feel free to ask by posting in the comments below. Support our work on patreon to have an exclusive access to patron only content and free downloads of floor plans or our designs and featured projects.

For additional design details, and interior views; View the FLOOR PLANS and a complete house tour HERE.

BREEZEWAY 960 is a 4 bedroom Luxury Shipping Container House built using 4 shipping containers and a breezeway to create 1700 square feet of habitable space.

Design Concept

The design concept of this 4 bedroom house is in the form a bridge with two 20 foot containers on the ground floor with a breezeway in between creating 1700 square feet of habitable space. Alternatively, a single forty foot container can be used on the ground floor level and cut in two to the support the 40 foot containers on the first floor level. This is an efficient way of cutting costs by using three containers instead of four.

The breezeway creates extra floor space in between the container on the ground floor to be used as an open plan living space. The bridge structure is a beautiful design concept that allows the house to use cool breezes for natural ventilation effectively, and also allows the house to take full advantage of its surroundings for maximum daylighting and unobstructed views. It is advisable to properly position the house to take advantage of the breezes and views.

Design Brief

The functions accommodated on the ground floor level include a kitchen and laundry space in one container and a guest bedroom and a bathroom in the other container. The breezeway in-between the two containers serves as an open plan living room with dining space. The living room is enclosed by full height folding glass doors opening to sheltered outdoor spaces on both ends. The open, space flows seamlessly onto outdoor patios on both ends opening the living room to the indoor-outdoor living environment.

The containers above are placed with a 1.3m gap in-between the containers to accommodate a single flight staircase which straddles in the middle of the living room. On the first floor level, two bedrooms on the end of the containers sharing a bathroom fitted glass shower cubicle, are connected through an open a rumpus room with a small office nook. A generous master en-suite with a walk-in closet and a mini lounge occupies the open ends of the containers. The roof of the guest bedroom container serve as an outdoor terrace space for the master bedroom.

Interior Design

The interior of the house should be lined with an appropriate insulation material depending on the local climate. Without insulation, the house would be like an oven in summer and freezing in winter. Insulation is also essential to preventing condensation, which can corrode the container and cause mould. Watch our previous presentation on 8 ways on How to insulate a shipping container house, for more understanding.

Paint the Interior walls light coloured to help kill the claustrophobic feel from the narrow width of shipping containers. Light colours make the interior spaces appear brighter and more prominent. Feel free to explore trans-formative furniture to help use a single space for more than one function. Use Flat-pack cabinets for the kitchen and wardrobe rather than custom units. Flat packs are versatile and come in a range of sizes, colours plus fixing instructions. Flat-packs help to save on time and money.

Exterior Design

The gap from the resultant space on the sides of the two 40 foot containers is filled with timber cladding. The container walls on the outside are left bare to celebrate the industrial character of the building. When using one trip containers, it is advisable to retain the original colours and markings to celebrate the maritime history of the shipping containers. Alternatively, feel free to check out our previous video on the types of exterior finishes used on shipping container houses.

Outdoor Living

The containers sit on a raised concrete strip foundation to elevate the containers away from moisture. The elevated position of the container also provides the height necessary to construct an outdoor deck and the entrance porch. A deck is a quick and easy way to extend the limited living space inside a shipping container. The house has frontal deck sheltered with a glass canopy suspended on steel cable which doubles up as an entrance porch to the house. The folding glass doors lead to a deck on the rear of the building ideal for outdoor lounging, BBQ, or intimate outdoor dining. The deck has a canvas roof on a steel framed pergola to shield the space from elements.

The original cargo doors on the guest bedroom container, are used in an open position to create a private Juliet balcony. All the original cargo doors have been left intact to offer additional security and also act as storm shutters. This design series uses standardised, optimal sized windows and doors which don’t require any special modification to the walls of the shipping containers, apart from the big openings in the kitchen, the rumpus room and the master bedroom. Feel free to explore eco-friendly materials for both exterior and interior finishes to use on the house. The house hot water and electricity can be powered by hot water solar panels and photovoltaic systems respectively integrated into the roof.

What do you like about our new luxury container home design?

If you have any question, feel free to ask by posting in the comments below.

For additional design details, and interior views; View the FLOOR PLANS and a complete house tour HERE.

FARMHAUS 640 is a gorgeous 3 bedroom container House designed using two, 40 foot shipping high cube container modules to create a 640+ square feet of habitable space. The containers are placed parallel and set apart saddling breezeway in between to form a modern shipping container house. An open plan living space with a lounge and dining occupies the middle space while the bedrooms, kitchen and bathroom are accommodated inside the shipping containers.

FRONT VIEW | FARMHAUS 640 by SHELTERMODE

Design Brief.

This gorgeous guest house made from 2 containers, indicatively accommodates the following salient features;

Entry Porch

2 Bathrooms

Lounge

Dining

Kitchen

Private Balcony

A small mechanical room

LIVING ROOM | FARMHAUS 640 by SHELTERMODE

THE LOUNGE | FARMHAUS 640 by SHELTERMODE

LOUNGE SPACE | FARMHAUS 640 by SHELTERMODE

DINING SPACE | FARMHAUS 640 by SHELTERMODE

THE KITCHEN | FARMHAUS 640 by SHELTERMODE

BREAKFAST ISLAND | FARMHAUS 640 by SHELTERMODE

KITCHEN MODERNE | FARMHAUS 640 by SHELTERMODE

THE BATHROOM | FARMHAUS 640 by SHELTERMODE

THE BEDROOMS | FARMHAUS 640 by SHELTERMODE

MASTER BEDROOM | FARMHAUS 640 by SHELTERMODE

FRONTAL VIEW | FARMHAUS 640 by SHELTERMODE

COVERED FRONT PORCH | FARMHAUS 640 by SHELTERMODE

LIVING ROOM DECK | FARMHAUS 640 by SHELTERMODE

COVERED DECK | FARMHAUS 640 by SHELTERMODE

ROOF PLAN | FARMHAUS 640 by SHELTERMODE

FLOOR PLAN LAYOUT | FARMHAUS 640 by SHELTERMODEy

What do you like about our new luxury container home design?

If you have any question, feel free to ask by posting in the comments below.

For additional design details, and interior views; View the FLOOR PLANS and a complete house tour HERE.

Modbox 3840: Luxury Container House Designed using twelve 40 foot shipping containers shipping containers. The containers are placed in stacks of four containers stacked three stories high. This modern five bedroom house is ideal for a big family size.

TOPBOX 960

TOPBOX 960 is a 2 story, Luxury Shipping Container House designed using three, 40 foot Shipping Containers. This design uses three, 40 foot shipping containers to create a 3000+ square feet “TOPBOX”. Three sets of 40 foot containers are stacked to create a 2 storied house with a dynamic form. The shipping containers on the top level are sheared horizontally to form a cantilever creating two terrace spaces on each floor. A private rooftop terrace on the top-level for the master bedroom and the living room plus a covered entry lobby to the guest wing, a circulation shaft and a garage for 2 on the ground level.

TOPBOX 960 by SHELTERMODE | Modern | Chic | Sustainable

TOPBOX 960 by SHELTERMODE | SIDE ELEVATION

TOPBOX 960 by SHELTERMODE | SIDE ELEVATION

TOPBOX 960 by SHELTERMODE | REAR ELEVATION

TOPBOX 960 by SHELTERMODE | SIDE ELEVATION 02

TOPBOX 960 by SHELTERMODE | FRONT ELEVATION RENDERED IN BRICK

TOPBOX 960 by SHELTERMODE | A VIEW OF THE FAMILY TERRACE ON FIRST FLOOR

TOPBOX 960 by SHELTERMODE | ENTRY PORCH UNDER THE CANTILEVER

TOPBOX 960 by SHELTERMODE | SHELTERED OUTDOOR SPACE

TOPBOX 960 by SHELTERMODE | OPEN PLAN LIVING | LOUNGE

TOPBOX 960 by SHELTERMODE | OPEN PLAN LIVING | DINING

TOPBOX 960 by SHELTERMODE | OPEN PLAN LIVING

TOPBOX 960 by SHELTERMODE | OPEN PLAN LIVING | KITCHEN

TOPBOX 960 by SHELTERMODE | OPEN PLAN LIVING | LOUNGE

TOPBOX 960 by SHELTERMODE | MASTER BEDROOM

What do you like about our new luxury container home design?

If you have any question, feel free to ask by posting in the comments below.

For additional design details, and interior views; View the FLOOR PLANS and a complete house tour HERE.

SADDLEBOX 640

SADDLEBOX 640 is a gorgeous 3 bedroom container House designed using two, 40 foot shipping high cube container modules to create a 640+ square feet SADDLEBOX 640. The containers are placed at splayed angles saddling an open plan living space in between to form a modern shipping container house.